


I can sleep now

by Lady_Crystal



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2014-01-09
Packaged: 2018-01-07 19:12:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1123369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Crystal/pseuds/Lady_Crystal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another case for Holmes and Watson...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The case

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my mother language so forgive me for the mistakes!

 

_**The adventure of the sleeping beauty** _

By John H. Watson

  
Sherlock Holmes is quite unlucky with women. The first one, we all know was Irene Adler. And it ended up with her death. -Well, officially she's in the us in some witness protection or something-. This time, well, things haven't changed much.  
I wasn't sure I was going to tell you about this adventure, but eventually I decided to write it down. First because it started in one way and ended up in another completely atonishing way, second because Sherlock showed us all his human part that he hides so well, and of course to honour the memory of, the now sleeping, beauty.

It was late November. I had a day off at work and dropped by Sherlock to say hi. He was in a dreadful state. I found him curled into the armchair, with only his dressing gown on. I swear. His chin resting on his knees he was moving slowly back and forth. his curly hair swinging at every movement. I thought he was on drugs, I confess... Lukyly I was wrong. -Or arrived just in time. I don't want to think about it...-  
-Sherlock... are you ok?-  
He looked at me like realizing I was there that instant, even though I had been standing there for a couple of minutes.  
-I am bored! Mrs Hudson took my cigarettes, my gun and even my skull!- He stands up on the chair. His dressing gown left open. That moment I realized he was actually really, completely, totally, undoubtly, definetely naked underneath that.  
-Sherlock, maybe some pants? Not Buckingham Palace again! please!- I stared at him. He jumped off the armchair grunting.  
-Like you've never seen all this before!- He ruffles his curly hairs. He has been doing that a lot lately.

-Sherlock...-  
-It never bothered you the other times, besides, I'm bored! clothes are boring! Everything is boring!- the throws himself on the sofa, spread legged. He was defenetly doing that to annoy me, but i was not going to let him win this time.  
-Come on Sherlock! Dress up! You might get a client any moment now!- I say  
-No we're not! Have you seen what day is it? A boring annoing stupid day!- He curls himself in the sofa again, and letting me stare at his ass. I wanted to punch him or throw something at him. The bloody idiot.

-All right! Let's play deduce! There people walking out of the road! Deduce them!-  
-No.- he snored. I wasn't going to give up. I walked to the window and looked out.  
-35/40 years old woman, small dog, huge hat...- I started looking at the people  
\- Taking her dog to the vet, she has just divorced from her husband for an affair, now enjoing herself with his money by buying stupid stuff. And she's 48- He had moved behind me, leaning his chin over my head, still bored.

-Get dressed! If someone comes in and find us like this... People will definetely talk you know!-  
-People are boring... Look at that man!- he points to another. -He's going to turn around and re-enter the cafe he just came out.- But he grabs his colthes and starts to wear them.  
-How did you know?-  
-He forgot his phone on the table. Look, the waiter is giving it back to him.- Obviously.  
-What about that young woman?- I ask pointing to a dark haired girl with glasses on.  
-That is a new client! Interesting!- he smiles.  
-How could you possibly tell that?- i ask.  
-She looked at her phone and at the numbers on the road, checking. Her hair is still damp, so she left home in a hurry, just after showering. She is quite young but doesn't live with her parents, her clothes have not been  
ironed lately. Look at her shirt. she didn't even bother to zip her coat, so it must be imprtant. Work has to do with computers, her glasses are expensive, she wouldn't waste money on trend, she shares her flat with someone  
of her age, and definetely doesn't care about fashion. So why those expensive glasses? She is short sighted but also those kind of glasses reduce the risk of damaging the eyes when working on a computer for a long time.-  
He didn't even breathe while speaking. -Hopefully, her problem won't have to do with a boyfriend.- Snd he was right. It wasn't about a boyfriend.  
-My sister is missing.- She said. Her name was Susan. She was 25 and she worked for some company as a software engegneer. According to Sherlock she she didn't like her job -boss- and was looking forward to change it soon.  
-Have you gone to the police?- I asked.  
-I don't have time to waste. And they wouldn't believe me. You're much faster.- she answered. -She has been missing for 25 minutes.-  
-How can you tell she has been missing?- I asked.  
-Start from the beginning- ordered sherlock.  
-I live in a flat with my sister. She works as an interpreter and translator. Today she left for work. I was having a shower when she went out. When I went back to our room I realized something was wrong. All her pink clothes were gone. My sister hates pink, she never wears it!- sherlock straightened his back and leaned forward, listening.  
-But there's something more! She had had breakfast! She never eats breakfast. I called her, she always answers her phone, but this time it was off. She never leaves her phone off. Not even at night!-  
-I am pretty good with computers and we have some cameras at the end of our road. I hacked into the system and she hadn't took the usual way she takes for the tube. So i decided to come at your place at once.- She was worried.  
-Well, let's see if the cameras have something else to show us!- Said Sherlock. Within a couple of minutes she was sitting on Sherlock's computer, breaching the security system and downloading the files.  
She was a hacker, and a good one.

-There she is!- She pointed at a woman. The two sisters couldn't have been more different. One was blonde, the other dark haired. one's hair were straight, the other's were wavy. Apparently this sister had a bit more care for fashion. Not much actually. She was wearing black boots and clear blue jeans, a long black coat, even if it was november and cold, she wasn't wearing any scarf. When i pointed it out her sister simply said she doesn't like scarves. But she had a blue turtle neck shirt.

-That's weird. She just entered a fast food... and bought fish and chips?!- Her sister was struck.

-Well, it's actually early...- I started.  
-No no! She hates fish! She doesn't like it! She...- Susan bited her lip.  
-Wait! What was that?- Sherlock pointed at the screen. The woman, Lily was her name, had thrown something into a bin. Only she missed it. So she bent and took it, to throw it again. But sherlock had seen something I didn't. While getting up, she had attached something beneath the bin.

-Let's go!- and we rushed out.

 


	2. The chase

Sorry I had to stop the prevous post, but it was getting longer than expected. I'll try to keep this adventure as brief as possible. As you can immagine, the case became quite interesting the more it went on. I can't tell you everything that happened because of certain people in the goverment but you are all smart and will be able to put on with what is written here. Now back to the adventure of the sleeping beauty!

 

We took a cabbie to get there and Sherlock was almost hyperactive.  
-She left clues everywhere, she knew you were going to notice that something was wrong, so she is leading us somewhere!- he couldn't keep his feet still. He kept patting them during all the ride.  
-Has she told you something or been acting strange lately? Weird answers, paranoid, no sleep?- I asked Susan and taking notes.  
-She hasn't told me anything special! Just asked how I was coping with my boss and job. She is just my sister and cares about me! And no paranoia, she is incredibly positive, nothing can shake her.- she shrugged  
-And she never sleeps, well, she does but not much! She keeps saying that she'll sleep when she'll be dead. oh God...- she sighs.  
-She knew something was going to happen to her. She left her clues and made sure we could find them. Maybe someone was following her, maybe she found out something she shouldn't! How many languages does she speak?-  
Sherlock was typing something on his phone.  
-Officially 9. But she is good with much more. She speaks English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Russian, Albanian and Finnish. All the languages that are similar to these, she understands them quite well.-  
-So she might have found out something she shouldn't- I looked at Sherlock. -Or this might be just a joke.-  
-No. She actually ate the fish she bought. She can barely stand the smell of fish! This is serious.- Susan bit her lip.  
-Gotcha!- Sherlock showed us his phone. Apparently someone sent him another video of Lily. This time she is approached by a car and she gets into it.  
-I don't think we know anyone with thats kind of car.- says Susan.  
-No, she has been forced to get in. They had a gun pointed at her- said Sherlock. I don't know how he worked it out, there was nothing on the video.  
-Oh God... A gun? My sisters had a gun pointed at her?! Oh God...- the poor girl was panicking. One thing was a sister behaving strange and missing. Another was her sister kidnapped.  
-Oh come on! You are as clever as your sister! What do you think she did once she found out something important?-  
-She would have told someone-  
-But not openly, if this something is important and the danger is too high! She left us clues! Now think! Someone this clever would assume that someone would notice she knows the secret and...-  
-...would go after her...-  
-...and would be prepared to the risk by taking every precaution. She knew something was going to happen to her, she went into the car without batting an eye! She is still fine.-  
Well, apparently this speech managed to calm the girl because she nodded.  
-Yes... yes... Besides she sees so many police-thriller-fiction and stuff she might as well already freed herself now!- Susan smiled. -Well maybe not.- Muttered Sherlock.  
-Well hopefully she puked on one of her kidnappers! She ate fish just before entering a car, she gets sea sick when traveling by car.- she said.  
Sherlock and I exchanged a look. Well, she definitely was brilliant. -She ate on purpose something that would make her feel sick on a car ride. Oh she is good!-  
He laughed -This is fascinating!- Susan stared at him biting her lip. We arrived at the place and luckily the small piece of paper was still attached on the bin. She had used her chewing-gum as glue.  
Clever. And a little bit disgusting. But on the note there was only a series of numbers and an adress.  
It was just a gym where Lily usually went to work out. And the numbers were probably the code to her lock. (apparently she had her own) We were thinking of going there when sherlock received a text.  
-Here's where they took her!- He says. We decided to split up. Sherlock and I would go to rescue Lily, while Susan would go and check in the Gym.  
It was a crazy run but eventually we managed to get to the building. Exept... When we arrived, Lily was walking out of the door by herself.  
Now let me tell you this, I am a man about to get married and I love my Mary, but the was a real beauty. Even with her hair messed up and her face dirty and worried. She reminded me of Aurora, the Disney Princess.  
Even sherlock was puzzled, although I think it was because she was walking free from the building by herself. When she noticed us she said the most surprising words I could ever imagine.  
-What the hell are you two doing here?- And she really was surprised.  
-What do you mean? We're here to save you!-  
-Where's Susan? Who's with Susan?-  
-She went to the gym!-  
-Slone? Oh my God are you two crazy? I thought you were the best detective in the world! Oh God!- She was rushing to one of the cars parked in front of the building. I don't know how exactly she did it but she jacked it and started the engine.  
-Get in! Now!- We followed and in less than 5 seconds she was driving like we had Hell's Devils following us.  
-What is going on?- I asked.  
-Oh, obvious...- Commented Sherlock. I hate it when he does that.-You could get it earlier!- She snapped.  
-What are you two talking about! Explain! Now!- I was almost losing it.  
-It was my sister you was supposed to keep an eye on! In the locked there is a pen-drive I have stolen. it has something important. I overheard some guys talking about it! Apparently some stolen information from secret services. The bloody idiots were talking openly thinking noone could understand them and their language! Well, I did. They had even left the pendrive on the table! Assholes! And what a coincidence. It was just the same as the one I carry always with me.-  
-so you swithced and decided to hide it.- Sherlock completed.  
-Yeah. But they would notice sooner or later and I had no time to tell anyone in safety so I left my small clues thinking you would understand what to do!- and she muttered something about us being complete idiots.  
-What has this to do with your sister?- i asked.  
-She's a hacker basically, and her boss is involved in this stuff. The pen-drive was encrypted. They need a hacker and you just gave them both the safe and the key to open it!- she jammed the gas going even faster.  
-Mycroft?- I asked Sherlock  
-No, he would already called if he knew... We better hurry though.- He muttered. And I have to admit he really was worried. Like he really felt bad for the mistake. Or maybe it was just the fact that he had misunderstood the clues. Lily couldn't see it but I could. I had been his friend, his only friend, for a long time and I could tell when he was not ok. He had always been right about everything. But right now he was questioning himself and his abilities.  
-Don't worry, everything is gonna be fine.- I said. It looked like I was telling this to Lily, but Sherlock understood. He nodded and gave me a hint of a smile. That moment I felt the most important man on earth. John Watson, the only one that can cheer up Sherlock Holmes.


	3. The Epilogue

Again, sorry for interrupting. This time I was going to finish it all in one post but Sherlock... Well you know what's lile to llive with Sherlock. I'm just going to say a couple of words, you can imagine what happened. Owl, The Beatles, Ring, Bread.  
And they were all linked to a murder. That's it. Anyway! If nothing happens again, I will finish the case of the sleeping beauty today.

We were on the car that Lily Jacked, heading to her Gym where her sister was supposed to be. I was so full of questions actually that I asked her.   
-How did you get out by yourself? I thought you were kidnapped, with guns and everything.-   
-Rule number 9 Doctor Watson.-  
-There are no rules about moderation, enjoy your ban?- Asked Sherlock.   
-Nope. Never go anywhere without a Knife!- she answered.  
-Ah Gibbs's rules!- I smiled. Sherlock looked at me confused.  
-My right boot. I always carry one of those swiss army knives. It came quite handy a bit earlier. And I like them more than guns, they never run out of bullets.-  
-Are you a soldier or something?- I asked.   
-Nope. I just have hobbies.- She jammed the break and we stopped in front of the Gym. When we went to her lock, it was open, empty and there was no sign of her sister.   
-Damn... Where could they have taken her. Oh God...- Now it was Lily thtat was having a breakdown. -We're never going to find them... Oh no...-  
-Oh come on! Be clever! You sister has got a smartphone right? We can track it!- said Sherlock.  
-What if it's off or they have thrown it away.-   
-It's worth a try.-   
-My place is around the corner!- said lily and we rushed again.   
We managed to reach Susan's phone. We found out later that they had smashed it, but apparently Susan had added a tracking chip. Sherlock managed to find where they had taken her.   
I can't really tell you where it was but it took us about 45 minutes by car to reach it.   
-What's the plan?- Lily asked.   
-We get there, call the police, get the bad guys before they decrypt the key and finish the job.-   
-My sister won't cooperate for a while, I know her. She will do everything it takes her to slow them down.-   
-Let's go then- I have to admit that it looked like it was ages ago when Susan came at 221B. But it was just 3 hours ago. Life is weird huh?  
Lily was again in angst. I started to understand her. When there was something that could be done, she was at the top oh herself. But when all she could do was wait or let Sherlock drive, panic reached her.  
-We'll save her.- I said her.  
-Yes, I know. You're the best... It's just... i have only her left. I don't have anyone but her. I kenw she was going to leave me sooner or later, go on with her life, her boyfriend will propose her as far as she gets a new job and they will get married.-  
I don't know why she was saying this but she wanted to, so i let her speak. -That's what people do don't they? go on with their lives, create new families, leave. I am terrified. I act like I don't care but i do! And now I am so close to lose her.  
What would you do, if the only thing that keeps you right and alive is gone- She stared at me and for one second I looked at Sherlock. And there was pain in his eyes. Just for a second, because when he saw I noticed he was back again   
icy and just driving. Was he just feeling sorry for her or was it empathy? In a certain way it was just like me and Mary. About to get married and Sherlock left aside. But I wouldn't leave him aside. Never. He is my best friend.  
-No, listen to me now- I said looking at Lily. -You think it's only you that feels like this? Your sister came at us immediately. Why? Because she worries about you. I can tell I am a bit like her. And let me tell you this. I would never let someone   
I love and care about slip away from my life, not even if they are willing to leave ok? And so is Susan. She will go on with her life but you are part of her life. Ok? So don't even think about this stupid things! You are clever, be clever!-  
And Lily smiled. -Your boyfriend is a lucky man.- and looked at Sherlock. That was... Nope.  
-Sherlock... He's not my boyfriend! He's my best friend but not my boyfriend.- I started.   
-Yeah... And I'm a cat.- She rolled her eyes.   
-I'm about to get married!- I protested. She shrudded. -I can't judge you! My ideal man is Khan!-   
-Who?-   
-Hhan! Khan Noonien Singh! John Harrison!- She looked at Sherlock -You have never seen Star Trek? not even Star Trek Into Darkness?- apparently it horror-strucked her. -when this is over I'll hand you my entire series.- She said smiling.   
-We're almost there!-   
the place was a strip club. with a huge bodyguard at the entry. Well I won't go much into details but after a particular speech, Sherlock convinced Lily to act like she was one of the strippers and to make us enter like we were her "clients".   
Well... She did it perfectly well. And Sherlock is a great actor. The way he looked at her during the act could fool anyone. When I pointed it out he said he used me as an example.   
Well, now was the hardest part. Look for the criminals without draining attention. Lily wanted to dress up again. We ended up all the three of us in underwear. I'm not proud of it but it was easy for us to sneak around to the rooms upstairs.   
When we got upstairs we managed to dress up. Yeah. Lily really insisted and probably al the noises coming from the rooms were making feel uncomfortable all of us. We separated and I found Susan. She was pretty scared but ok. Then i heard some gunshots. Three actually. An as that wasn't scary enough I heard Sherlock's voice calling my name. I was horrified. I dashed out. Sherlock was still screaming.   
-John! John help me! Hurry! John!! Help!!- I thought he had been hit. I don't know how my heart didn't stop. I was only begging "Please not Sherlock! Not Sherlock! Not him" and when i entered the room, it wasn't Sherlock. It was Lily the one that got hit.   
She was still alive, but weak and bleeding. One of the bullets had hit her thigh. Another her liver and the other one her lungs. Her chanches were nerarly zero.  
-This one still had bullets.- She muttered. -Look, I switched the pendrive. This is the original. The one that they have is a virus. The moment it gets linked to a computer it will download everything into a clowd and blow up the computer. You'll receive an email with a link. Everything on that computer will be available for just one download. Solve this puzzle mr Holmes.- she whispered weakly. She had courage. In her last moment she wanted to edn uo the job. -Susan?-   
-She's fine.- I said -But don't waste your energy. Stay with us, keep breathing.- I was using Sherlock's scarf to stop the blood. It was bad.   
-Here, keep it. Never forget rule number 9 Mr Holmes.- she whispered giving him her knife. Sherlock took it but didn't let go of her hand.  
-Don't... John will save you. Keep breathing. Come on Lily. Stay with us. Stay with me- His voice trembled. I realized only then how affectionate he was to her.   
-Don't worry Sherlock... I can sleep now.- She whispered to him smiling sweetly and closed her eyes. And she really was peaceful and looked like sleeping. The sleeping beauty.  
The ambulance arrived and she was still alive when they took her. Susan went with her. Sherlock and I helped the Detective Inspector from Scotland Yard download the files and get the data and proof to arrest all the bad guys.   
The link had a download password. The password was Rule N°9. That girl was clever.   
Susan came herself to tell us. Her sister had died from the internal damage in the ambulance. She didn't suffer much. Susan cried for a while but never accused us. Then she took out a box from her bag.   
-I found her phone. On her to do list there was this. "Give Sherlock Holmes the Star Trek DVDs"- She handed us the box. -I never liked it actually. But she loved it. I think you should keep it.- She rose and looked at Sherlock and me.   
-You did your best, and this wasn't your fault. I know my sister. She would be proud of you.- And she left.   
I don't know what was on sherlock's mind. He was in pain for it. For the loss of such a clever person. And she was rally a lot like him. He didn't spoke for a while but one day I found him watching the DVDs. And NCIS.   
He always carries the swiss army knife in his pocket.


End file.
